River of Fire/Chapter 5
Chapter description :Leafstar orders Sandynose to lead a border patrol, and tells him to check out the old ShadowClan camp on the way. She selects Violetshine to accompany him, and the she-cat steps up to stand beside her Clanmate. Leafstar then turns to Tree, fixing him with a serious gaze. She meows that while he’s been training with Frecklewish for the last half moon, he doesn’t seem interested in becoming a medicine cat. Leafstar suggests that perhaps he should join the patrol to experience the life of a warrior. Tree sits at the edge of the group and doesn’t respond, and is instead watching the clouds. :Leafstar prompts him again, and the loner is startled, and asks her to repeat what she’s said. The leader whisks her y’all, stating that he should join the patrol. Tree protests that that sounds like a warrior duty, when he’s not a warrior. Violetshine is anxious about what Leafstar will say, knowing that the leader might lose her patience, due to Tree already having been here for a moon. However, Leafstar meows evenly that every cat must contribute to stay here, warrior or not. Violetshine feels anxious that Tree will just decide to leave, because she can’t imagine not seeing him anymore. The yellow tom questions if he’ll slow down the patrol, but Leafstar insists every cat starts somewhere, and that Violetshine will help. :The patrol heads out into the forest, and by the time they reach the border, the previous day’s scent markings have begun to fade. Violetshine recounts how Tree had already annoyed Sandynose, and worries it might cost him his place in the Clan. She shows him how to set the scent markers, all too aware of the older SkyClan tom watching them. Violetshine feels wary around Sandynose due to him being Twigpaw’s former mentor, and Finpaw’s father. She tries not to think about losing kin, and presses closer to Tree, wondering if he’s supposed to leave her as well. Violetshine sends the yellow Tom to renew a scent marker, and goes to check out a nearby bank with prey scent. :However, Tree sits on a boulder and suns himself instead, and Sandynose tells him to stop. The yellow tom asks what the rush is, and Violetshine tries to explain that there are also other duties to be done. Sandynose says he’s done with this and tells Violetshine to set the marker and then they’ll go to ShadowClan’s camp. He stalks off, and the black and white she-cat hastily follows him, as does Tree. They catch up to find Sandynose sniffing the air, and he reports that there are definitely trespassing cats here. They decide to investigate, but Violetshine suggests that Tree stay back because they don’t know what they’ll be getting into. However, the tom insists on coming along and not leaving them to fend for themselves. :The patrol approaches the old ShadowClan camp, and Sandynose orders that there be absolute silence, and that Violetshine should run for help if there’s trouble. They walk down the slope, and the black and white she-cat sees Sleekwhisker disappear into what was once the nursery. She is shocked, and tells Sandynose that she was a ShadowClan cat, but one that was close to Darktail and helped kill Needletail. The tom replies that they’d better deal with her, so they enter the den. Violetshine is shocked to see a pregnant Yarrowleaf in a moss nest, with Sleekwhisker beside her. Sandynose prepares to attack, but seems reluctant to hurt a cat so close to kitting. :Yarrowleaf spots Violetshine, and asks her what's happening, and where ShadowClan is. Sandynose asks his Clanmate if she knows these cats, and the she-cat says yes, but is wary. She wonders what they want, and the brown tom states that regardless of who they are, they're still trespassers. Tree cuts in that not even he'd attack a pregnant queen, but Violetshine adds that both of these cats were really loyal to Darktail. Sleekwhisker meows that they've made a mistake, and came back to find ShadowClan. Sandynose replies shortly that the Clan has a different camp now, which they aren't a part of. Yarrowleaf begs them for the chance to stay, but Violetshine accuses her of wanting to be in a Clan just because she's expecting kits. The ginger she-cat insists it isn't like that, explaining that she and Sleekwhisker were living with the remnants of Darktail's group, but left because no cat cared for any others. Yarrowleaf recounts that Spikefur had died, and Sleekwhisker adds that no cat except for the two of them tried to help. :Yarrowleaf says she took Nettle as a mate, but her memories of the Clans and her kithood makes her want that future for them. The SkyClan cats remain silent, and Sleekwhisker asks why Sandynose called Rowanstar by the name of Rowanclaw. Violetshine replies that ShadowClan is no more, and that they are now a part of SkyClan. Sandynose warns them that Leafstar is in charge now, and tells them to think again if they'd wanted ShadowClan. Both still insist on joining SkyClan, and apologize for their actions. Violetshine is skeptical, but suggests they bring them to Leafstar. Sandynose agrees, and the group goes to SkyClan's camp. :Yarrowleaf struggles on the way, dragged down by the weight of her kits. Tawnypelt spots them as they enter, and bounds over the ginger she-cat. She begins to raise her paw to strike, but pauses when she realizes the queen is expecting. Most of the ShadowClan cats gather around their kin, and look around expectantly for what will happen. Leafstar meows that this isn't ShadowClan anymore, and Tawnypelt insists that these two shouldn't be let in. Rowanclaw begins to make a speech about forgiving Yarrowleaf and Sleekwhisker, but cuts himself off and invites Leafstar to speak. The leader asks why they should be allowed to say, and both insist they're ready to dedicate themselves to SkyClan. She informs them of what Darktail did to SkyClan before coming to the lake, and both are shocked. :Leafstar states she's not able to trust cats who left a Clan to follow Darktail, but the pair beg her to change her mind. The leader says she is sorry, but says they need to leave the territory, and will never be a part of SkyClan. Yarrowleaf wails that this is her kin, and this is her home. Leafstar responds that she will never be a SkyClan cat, and orders Sandynose and Macgyver to escort them to the border. The two warriors lead them out of camp, whilst their former Clanmates are left fuming. They begin to criticize Leafstar, but Tawnypelt turns to them and snarls at them to be quiet. She insists that Leafstar is their leader or not, and waves her tail, saying that if anyone else wants to be a traitor the way of camp is just across the clearing. No cat moves, and the SkyClan leader asks what they're all standing around for, because there's work to be done. :The group breaks up, and Tree pads over to Violetshine. She expresses her concerns about Yarrowleaf and Sleekwhisker to him, due to them helping kill Needletail. Tree says he'll have to stay and keep an eye on her, and she gets excited by his promise. He meows that he saw the spirit cats again, and Spikefur was with him. The yellow tom says that he thinks Sleekwhisker and Yarrowleaf are good cats. Violetshine's feelings are still conflicted, and she wonders if StarClan is capable of looking after the two Clanless cats. Characters Major }} Minor *Sandynose *Tree *Yarrowleaf *Sleekwhisker *Tawnypelt *Rowanclaw *Scorchfur *Snowbird *Juniperclaw *Strikestone *Macgyver *Fidgetpaw }} Mentioned *Twigpaw *Finpaw *Darktail *Needletail *Spikefur *Nettle *Hawkwing *Roach *Raven }} Notes and references Category:River of Fire Category:Chapter subpages Category:A Vision of Shadows arc